Loto-Québec hopes, before long, to be able to sell its lottery tickets using self-service checkouts in grocery stores and other retail outlets in the province.
In interview with The newspaper, on the occasion of the presentation of its results for the second quarter, the president and chief executive officer of the state-owned company, Jean-François Bergeron, admitted that the idea had been under study for some time. And that, since August, such terminals were even already being tested at its head office in Montreal.
“The idea is not to replace the kiosks found in shopping malls, or even the ticket sales counters found in convenience stores or grocery stores,” he said. But rather to adjust to current practices, which are increasingly automated.
A ticket with that?
Since August, the pilot project has also allowed Loto-Québec to assess how it might integrate the sale of lottery tickets into self-service checkouts in grocery stores, without slowing down the flow of traffic.
Have you ever been asked if you want to donate to charity when paying for your groceries? The day will no doubt come when you will also be asked if you would like to offer yourself a lottery ticket to complete your groceries?
Photo courtesy, Loto-Québec
Forbidden to minors
For the time being, the Crown corporation remains silent on the budget allocated to this initiative, as well as the planned timetable for its implementation. Also silent when asked if she intends to add her own electronic checkouts or even integrate those already in place in the shops?
On all these questions, the company is content to say that it has “started discussions” with “large chains” (Metro, Costco, etc.), and specifies that in the event of their establishment, an agent should be on site in to ensure that ticket purchasers have reached the age of majority.
Results up
At the end of the first six months of the 2022-2023 fiscal year, Loto-Québec expects a return to the good years before the pandemic period of the years 2020 and 2021.
“We are still on track to reach, and even exceed, our budget target,” said Mr. Bergeron. (…) Despite our enthusiasm, we remain cautious given the changing economic context.”
In the first half, its net profit reached $805.3 million, up 37.9% over the previous year, and its sales amounted to $1.47 billion, up 35, 4%.
Compared to the first half of the pre-pandemic fiscal year, that of 2019-2020, we are talking regarding respective increases of 9.4% in profits and 3.5% in revenues.
